James McNeill Whistler: Lithographs from the Steven L. Block Collection at the Speed Art Museum

January 25, 2014–April 27, 2014

American-born James McNeill Whistler (1834–1903) spent his adult life in three of Europe’s most picturesque cities: London, Paris, and Venice. While he is best known for his exquisite painted portraits, he was also recognized as a gifted printmaker who pushed the mediums of lithography and etching into new directions. This exhibition showcases the outstanding collection from the Speed Art Museum and represents the full range of Whistler’s lithographic career, from his early experiments in 1878 to the last works he produced before abandoning the medium in 1897. It consists of over forty exceptional examples of the artist’s technique and includes his ethereal images of London’s the River Thames at night, as well as his daringly modern depictions of family and friends. The exhibition is accompanied by eight of Whistler’s etchings from the Amon Carter’s collection.

James McNeill Whistler: Lithographs from the Steven L. Block Collection at the Speed Art Museum has been organized by the Speed Art Museum, Louisville, Kentucky.